“This bipartisan bill will help eliminate the shortfall of skilled cybersecurity professionals and develop the technologies we need to defend our infrastructure, industry, and the public from cybercrime," Lipinski said in a statement.

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., has introduced companion legislation.

By voice vote the House on Friday also agreed to reauthorize the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development program, which is one of the main programs to develop unclassified ways to protect copmuter networks.